This invention relates generally to environmentally protected computer peripherals and more particularly to a sealed computer terminal keyboard for use in manufacturing environments.
In the past, computers and peripherals have been restricted to use in carefully controlled environments. As the use of computers has been extended into manufacturing environments, a need has arisen for computer peripherals that can be used reliably and safely in shops and assembly areas. There, the peripherals are exposed to dripping liquids, spills, dirt, machine shavings, sawdust, and other debris.
Conventional computer terminal keyboards have a housing with many discrete, closely-spaced alpha-numeric keys protruding upward through openings in the top of the keyboard. In a manufacturing environment, spills and dirt can easily enter the keyboard and soon disable it. Keyboards are known with internally sealed electronics to provide protection against liquid spills, but debris can still enter spaces within the keys and foul their operation. The keyboards are also difficult to clean and cleaning usually requires disassembling the keyboard.
Panel assemblies are available from Duralith Corp., 525 Orange Street, Millville, N.J., with ELASTIKEY.TM. molded silicone rubber actuators and key arrays. A 16-key numeric key pad, marketed under the trademark TACTON.TM. by Bebie & Co., Ebmatingen, Switzerland, has a resilient molded rubber keypad cover with integrally formed actuators depending internally from the underside of each key. Neither of these designs is suitable for sealing a conventional computer terminal keyboard of a type typically having arrays of 88, 101, or similar numbers of full-travel keys arranged on the front of a stand-alone, elongate keyboard housing.
A need remains for a computer terminal keyboard that is suitably protected against spills and debris for use in a shop, assembly or other manufacturing environment.